Breez Shurtz
October 2019
Breez
Shurtz
,
RN
Medical-Surgical Unit
Capital Medical Center
Olympia
,
WA
United States

 

 

 

My 90-year-old mother was admitted to the hospital recently with a broken hip. This is the type of injury that we have been terrified of since my mother came to live with us seven years ago. It was devastating and we were so afraid that it would be the type of injury we had heard and read about where people - especially my mom's age - may never recover.
The doctor in the ER admitted my mom in order to seek care from the Orthopedic surgeon. The hope was she would be an able candidate at 90 to have hip surgery; she was scheduled for surgery.
We found ourselves on the hospital floor worried, extremely tired and trying to be strong for my mom's sake. During this incredibly difficult ordeal, we met what our family fondly refers to now as our 'Guardian Angel' - Breez. To my family, her name says everything about her (she is a wonderful breeze that brings amazing relief)!
I immediately noticed how friendly and thorough Breez was in gathering the necessary information. Breez has a very calming and soothing demeanor that instantly put me at ease and made me feel more confident in the tasks I was about to encounter in my mother's healthcare. This quality is truly a gift that she has together with her skill as a trained professional.
We had been in the ER most of the evening into the night when we were admitted. I was feeling overwhelmed and unsure of what was going to transpire. Breez immediately looked at me and read all of these feelings and began to not only get my mother set up in her room but also reached out to comfort me as well. She asked if I needed anything and brought me some water. Breez intuitively knew this was just what I needed at that moment.
As the night went on, I had a lot of anxiety about my mother's condition. Every time Breez came into the room, she listened to every concern I had and immediately set about remedying every concern. She explained exactly why and what machines indicated about my mother's blood pressure, oxygen, etc. What a relief to know how to interpret the data. All through the night, this Breez worked to keep my mother comfortable and kindly reassured me that things were going well. Although I know Breez had many patients to care for that night, she gave us this type of individualized care! Breez treated us like family in this manner every day until we were discharged after my mother's surgery.
Breez helped our family through the most difficult and anxious nights of our lives. I have read that when an injury like this occurs with an elderly person such as my mom, the first 24-48 hours emergency care is critical. I attribute the success my mother had to Breez and her absolutely 'Guardian Angel' professionalism and care. Thank you, Breez - there are no words that can express our gratitude!

Note: This is Breez's 2nd DAISY Award!